102715-Face to Face
SO: The small thing approaching your hive stops and pads quietly up to the door. She knocks softly. CC: He goes to answer the door, a bit wary because of the new local, but expecting her SO: At the door is the small white creature from the pictures. Only now, seeing her in person, you realize she is as smol as Lorrea. CC: He looks down at her curiously CC: "...Libby?" SO: A large smile breaks out across her face. "Nyarla! SO: " CC: He gives a smile and steps aside to let her into his hive CC: "Come in" CC: "It's nice to meet you in person" SO: She comes in nervously, pushing the hood off of her head. You can see she has a small spattering of red freckles along her scalp and on the tips of her ears that weren't visible in the pictures. "It's nice to meet you too, finally. I'm sorry I had to scare you, but I didn't want to lie and promise everything would be okay." CC: She certainly looked interesting in person, he'd even say she was cute. The pictures hadn't done justice. "Well they seem to be, minus that my planet is dying currently" CC: "The crash almost gave me a heart attack, but at least we made it in time to keep my hive" SO: She smiles again. "Nice Sprite. You might wanna warn Aaisha though." CC: He pales CC: "...yeah, thanks, I really should" SO: She nods nervously. "So, what pathetic attempts at inebriative beverages does your species possess? SO: " CC: He smirks at that and begins walking towards whereever his kitchen is. "Let me show you" SO: She follows eagerly, occassionally reaching out and touching Nyarla's back. CC: He looks back at her as they reach the kitchen. "Yeah? Hehe, what are you prodding me for?" SO: She tilts her head. "Blind. Remember? Trying to make sure you're still where I perceive you to be." CC: "Shit, I'm sorry, we're here" CC: "You seem to be getting along just fine" CC: "Kinda made me forget for a second" SO: "I do my best, but it's always good to check. Especially with new people that I'm not familiar with their species yet." SO: She giggles and rubs at her bandages. "Yes, of course. You forgot the girl with bandages over her eyes was blind." CC: He chuckled," Hey, I saw you jumping across all those moving gears to get here" CC: "Need me to lead you to a seat?" CC: He dips into the refrigerator, liberating a bottle of Troll Jack Daniels SO: "I am more familiar with this Land than you. And the ticking tells me where to go." SO: She clutches his arm. "Just point me in the right direction. I'll stumble on it soon." CC: "Pfft" He walks with her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her CC: He set the bottle on the table and moved back across the kitchen to a cabinet for a couple of glasses before returning to have a seat SO: When you come back to the table, Libby is running her fingers over it, feeling the shape. "Interesting. For some reason I thought you stored your liquid in the horns of the dead." CC: He laughed as he poured a glass for each of them, "We're violent, yeah. Not that primitive though" CC: He slid her glass closer to her SO: She slides her fingers slowly over the table, with practiced ease, until she finds the glass. SO: Libby picks it up and takes a sip. "Interesting." CC: "Interesting?" CC: He took a sip from his own SO: "It's always amusing to me, the many interpretations different cultures have on shared experiences." She takes another sip. CC: "What do you mean?" He took a few quick sips SO: She smiles. "Well, Humans are very similar to trolls. Just some strong alcohol for occassional Libation. Other cultures use the inebriative beverages in rituals, like the twinks, where we either drink them, or inject them, as part of foreplay." CC: "Oh" His face takes on a minor bluish tint as he keeps the glass to his face, taking a longer sip. CC: "What kind of rituals? CC: " CC: He finishes his glass and goes to pour another SO: "Don't worry, I know it's not part of the connotation for Trolls. And as I have never had the chance to engage in such an activity, my knowledge is purely academic." She takes another sip, but a bit of red has flushed into her cheeks and become more prominent on her scalp and the tips of her ears. "Well aah... As I mentioned, Female Twinks don't feel sexual urges until the Incision." CC: "Oh yeah, that ol' culture of yours. I heard you're you started this game thing billions upon billions of years ago" CC: "You still hold to it?" CC: "And you haven't done the incision yourself by now?" CC: He let the scond drink sit in front of him SO: "In some ways. In others, I have recently been convinced to abandon it." She takes a large drink finishing off the glass. She gasps at the question. "Never! That would be... GodOS." CC: "Just wondering" He shrugs innocently, "Want another drink?" SO: She giggles. "Sure. Why not?" CC: He pours her another before slouching into his seat. "You only abandoned it recently?" CC: He's pacing himself with the drink, hoping to keep a simple, steady buzz SO: "Someone here encouraged me to." She giggles and takes another drink. CC: He chuckled at that. "Why though?" SO: Libby sighs and runs her fingers over the glass, getting a feel for it. "I have been waiting for Serios since my eyes were gouged out." CC: He takes a larger gulp. That was a bit sobering. CC: "Shiiit" CC: "That was back during your own session, right?" SO: "Yes." She takes a sip and bites her lip. CC: "Wow, yeah. I see why you're persistent. I guess I would be too" SO: She chuckles nervously. "And think, in all this time, you're the first person to make me doubt it." CC: He also chuckles nervously. "Oh you flatterer" CC: "I'm not sure I'm all that special" SO: "Well, you are a Mage of Time." She takes another sip, and tries to pretend her hands aren't shaking. CC: "So you waited til I made some kind of magic happen?" He tries to play it off with puns CC: He starts to lose himself in the drink when he realizes how that could be made to sound SO: "I wasn't waiting for it, you did it without my knowledge or consent. It was..." She looks at the drink for a moment, and then finishes it, and whispers, "It was exactly the way they always described it." She draws her knees up to her chest in the chair. CC: "...described what?" CC: He reaches for the bottle to pour her another, topping off his own CC: He just kinda looks off to the side CC: Not that she could see him avoiding eye contact SO: She smiles softly as a thanks. "It doesn't matter. It's irrelevant." She slides her fingers along the table to find the glass, and brings it close to her lips again. CC: "Sorry" CC: He takes a decent swig CC: He gives a small cough as he slouches back in his chair SO: "Don't be sorry. Don't ever be sorry for that. It was nice to pretend, for a little while." She takes a few small sips. CC: He looks down for a minute, then back up, looking into her face. CC: "..." CC: A thought seems to occur to him CC: "...we could still dance if you like" SO: The bandages over her eyes are slightly stained with red, just above the cheekbones. SO: "No. I... I saw what you said to Aaisha. About waltzes being stupid, and the tango, a~and..." She closes her mouth abruptly, then takes a drink. When she speaks again, her voice is much more monotone, and authoritative. "Twinks do not dance." CC: He finishes off the drink, reaching for the bottle again. "I hadn't actually meant that, y'know, just trying to be funny. Waltzes are perfectly good dances." SO: "Mm, but your hands will be close to my wrists. Absolutely scandalous." She finishes off her drink. CC: "I thought you were abandoning it? Another?" CC: There's a beeping from his phone SO: "N-Not that. Not yet, at least. And yeah, Another." SO: She turns her head away, laying her cheek on her knees. She scratches at her scalp nervously. CC: He refills her glass before looking to his phone, squinting CC: "Maybe later then" SO: "Th-There won't be a later, Nyarla." She sighs. CC: "Shit, I'm sorry" There's a slur to his voice CC: "Yeah, we don haf to" SO: "It's all right. I finally saw my death today. Sooner than expected, but..." She takes another drink. "Well, at least you won't have to worry about your promise to me, hmm?" CC: He sits up at that, stunned CC: "What?" CC: "What do you mean?" CC: "I mean, why, when? CC: " SO: She waves her hand gently. "Don't worry about it. I'm just... a little sad. And soon. I don't know when, exactly. But I know the circumstances, and I'm coming to terms with it." She presses her lips to her leggins. "I just wanted to... be near you... a little while... before it came." CC: "How does it happen, I'll stop it?" CC: "I will" SO: "Do you promise not to tell anyone? Not even Aaisha, or Carayx, or Lorrea, or Serios?" CC: "I promise" SO: "I'm going to die saving Aaisha, because you and Serios won't be able to." SO: "GodOS, I hope I am wrong. But all my visions abruptly stop then." CC: "But I'm the Mage of Time, right?" CC: "Time magic, I can stop that" SO: "No. Not yet. Maybe once you God Tier. But not soon enough." CC: "...." SO: "You have to learn to walk, before you can run, Nyarla." She smiles affectionately. CC: "...but at least I can dance. And now's a good time if you'll go soon." SO: She takes another sip. "I couldn't bear it, knowing you might be mocking me, and I..." Her hands are shaking wildly. She drops the glass. CC: "I'm not mocking you, honest" SO: She shakes her head. "I-I'm sorry. Do you have a towel, or?" CC: "Yeah!" He runs across the room to grab a bunch of napkins and runs back, setting them all in ffront of her CC: You've got nothing to be sorry for CC: "" SO: She slowly cleans up the spilled alcohol, using her fingers to find the edges of the liquid. "GodOS, I'm helpless without my handmaidens." CC: "It's fine, I've got it" He moves to clean up the spill himself CC: He's trying to speak in as comforting a tone as he can SO: She laughs and shakes her head, reaching out to continue cleaning the mess. She accidentally places her hand on his. "It's all right. It would be rude of me to come into your home and make a mess, and not clean it. Especially when you've been so kind." SO: She pulls her hand away suddenly, and her blush intensifies. CC: He gave a her a sad smile and continued to wiping up the mess. "It happens, it's fine. I can handle a little spill" After he gets up the mess, he gives you a reasuring pat on the shoulder when he goes to throw away the now soaked napkins SO: She stands and brushes herself off, adjusting her bandages nervously. SO: "I changed my mind. Dance with me? If I'm going out, I might as well enjoy the time I have left, and damn the consequences." CC: He walks back over to her, plucking the bottle from the table to drink from directly before setting it back down CC: "Let's" SO: "Oh that's a good idea." She feels for the bottle, and takes a quick swig. CC: "May I have this dance?" He gives a light bow SO: She laughs and holds her hands out. "Yes. It couldn't be anyone else but you." Her cheeks are flushed, and she has a nervous smile. CC: "I apologize ahead of time for any accidental wrist touching, I don't want to seem untoward" CC: He's takes her hands with a smile CC: "Is waist touching appropriate?" SO: She shrugs. "Why wouldn't it be?" CC: "Just checking" He throws an arm around her waste, swinging her around SO: She squeaks and throws her arm over his shoulder, clinging to him tightly. CC: He grins down at her smol self CC: "Remember thoe steps I explained?" SO: "No. I wasn't watching that conversation closely!" She wraps her legs around him pressing her head to his chest to keep herself safe from the unexplained spinning. CC: He slows down the spinning to a much more reasonable speed CC: "It's fine, waltzing is basically walking, only fancier" SO: After a few moments, she carefully lets her legs down, one at a time, still keeping a death grip on his shoulder. "It's certainly exhilirating, Nyarla." CC: "Well it is pretty fun after all" He tugs her along leading her into the dance with loose circles CC: Doing his damndest not to stumble on to her toes SO: She slowly relaxes her hold on him, and starts to enjoy it, but still leaning on him for guidance. CC: Pulls her closer as he speeds up the pace slightly, trying to take her smol legs into account SO: She nimbly keeps pace, though her footwork can definitely not be called a waltz. Still, it's effective at keeping her tiny feet out from under yours. CC: He tosses in sporadic twirls and dips SO: She laughs, her face nearly broken in half by her wide smile. On one particularly playful dip, she leans close, and presses her lips against his without thinking. Almost instantly, her body goes rigid, and she starts pulling away. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." CC: He straightens up a bit, but still holds her. "No no, you're fine. We're drunk and dancing, it just kind of happened, I understand" CC: "Nothing to be sorry for, honestly." He releases her and gives a soft pat on the shoulder CC: A comforting smile as he tries to reassure her SO: She laughs. "I think I need another drink, after that." She feels her way over toward the table, then looks for the bottle. "Hey, you get to brag that you were my first, and probably only, kiss. So, there's always that." She takes a long swig from the bottle, and a small red drop slips out from beneath her bandages. CC: He laughed nervously. "Yeah, mine too. Guess we both get bragging rights, right?" CC: "I think we ought to, buzz, maybe talk to the others" CC: "Let them know I'm in the Medium, make sure they get here safe" SO: "Oh... Right..." She turns her head away, "I should go." CC: "...You can stay if you like" CC: "Have the rest of that bottle if you're so inclined" SO: "If I stayed, It'd just hurt more. Knowing that I am going to detect the one female both the males I have affection for prefer... It hurts. And being here with you with that gulf between us..." SO: ((to die defending)) CC: "...I'm sorry" CC: "You don't have to stay if you don't want, I'm still happy to meet you though" SO: She laughs. "No, you're not. You pity me, and that's worse. But you won't ask me not to die for her, because when you know that it has to be she or I, and no one else can or will do it, at the end of the day losing her hurts more than losing me. And I know that. You have a future with her. All I have is a what might have been." She takes a long drink, and more tears spill out from under her bandag SO: es. CC: "No, it's more than just pitying you. I care. I didn't ask you to do it because I will. When you swoop in to save her, I'll swoop in to save you. We have a deal. don't we? We make it and I personally make sure you do" CC: "If any one has to die...it'll be me. How can I take the name "The Vanguard", otherwise?" SO: "You can't save her. Nyarla... You could barely move time forward or back a handful of seconds right now. And besides..." She looks at the bottle. "I'm the one he wants." CC: He walked up to her, reaching for the leftover napkins on the table to dab at her tears CC: "Who?" CC: There was an edge to his tone SO: She places her hand on his arm gently. "You know who. Or at least, Lorrea does." She laughs. "It's too late to stop him now. He has one of the human's hostage, and he's got the discs." CC: "Jack?" CC: "Wait, what?" CC: "Has a human hostage?" CC: "Which planet is his?" CC: "Not his, but where he'll show up" CC: "Maybe there'll be an instant he'll still be powerless" SO: "Jack doesn't have a planet. He had one in our session. Land of Pendulums and Pain. And I don't know where he'll arrive for sure. One of the human lands." SO: "No. Nyarla. It's all right." CC: "Well, he's a thief of time, right? He can't steal what I don't have yet. His time is effectively running out then, right?" SO: "He steals time in a different way. And he has plenty saved up." She sighs and shakes her head. "Nyarla. Please. Just... let me do this. After all these years, it's the only thing I have left to give. So let me perform this one last act of love, for you, and for Serios, before I'm gone forever." She kisses his cheek softly. CC: "...' There are small pools of blue welling up at the corners of his eyes, but he won't let them fall SO: She extricates herself from him, gently running her fingers over the edges of the furniture, using it to guide herself to the door. CC: He lets her go, taking a heavy sigh and an equally heavy swig he slouches into a chair, fiddling with a display to get in touch with the others CC: He wipes at the corners of his eyes SO: She stops at the door. "Thank you." CC: He sofly mutters an "I'm sorry" SO: "Scarlet always told me that I was unlovable. At least I know in some part of Paradox Space, there's a timeline, doomed or not, where you loved me back." SO: She steps gingerly out the door, and begins slowly hopping from gear to gear, making her way into the darkness. Category:Libby Category:Nyarla